Principal Incentives
by petiteneko
Summary: The pushing motivations behind two Uchiha brother's actions blur and they lie in order to keep it a secret only to themselves. Rewrite of The True Reason. HIATUS
1. Prologue

TOTALLY changed the format of this fanfiction. If you've read this before, it's completely changed, because I hated how it was before. Bigger rant on next chapter, seeing as most will go there first (if already watching this)

Warnings: ItaSAsu, angst, hatred, onesided ____sasu, and probably OoCness later on. It also doesn't follow the manga after Shippuden, but I'll explain once I get there (and if you're still reading)

* * *

His eyes pop open and he sits up. Mentally he checks over his body and sighs. His thoughts were: _There wasn't any tonight._

That's what I experience every time I wake up. Sometimes, it is much worse. I might scream, or cry, or… I shake my head. Tonight nothing happened, I didn't dream. They would come and go – but always in the order I experienced them. Perhaps it is a reminder of what I must do, of what I _want_ to do. It always seems to start at a specific point in time too. Once it starts, I'm plagued with the dreams until it ends – ends with the massacre. Those nights I would wake up screaming, crying, torn. As I think back, the dreams haven't occurred in awhile. Sometime soon, however, the dreams would begin.

And that is the night I dread the most.


	2. Chapter 1

Seeing as most people will come here if they've read the first chapter long time ago **READ ME READ ME!** I've COMPLETELY changed this fanfiction. I hated how it was before. I even hated it three years ago when I started the thing because of the trouble with words and the PoV and everything. Now, I think I've reached a happy medium. I like this chapter so far, and the set up, so it should stick to this. You can go to the prologue now (or continue reading on with my explaination if you feel the desire to do so) and then return here to read below the big long line.

Long explanation here:

This was like my first or second multichaptered fiction. I had it all planned out, but then I lost an entire chapter. The fiction and fandom ended up dying as a result, but it came back. By then, my writing had increased dramatically, and it had contrasted greatly from like.. chapter four to five, and it continued on from there. I hated that contrast and I hated the writing style that I had originally set up for it. So I tried to edit the shit out of the old flimsy writing but hated it every time. Went through like four editors, and still hated it. Tried again, seemed a bit plausible, posted. Still hated it. tried to edit and get though second chapter and I got halfway through it in like... a couple (or more) months and was pulling my hairs out. I finally jsut said "Fuck it!" and I wanted to just jot down major points and re-write it from scratch until I remembered "Shit, I did that didn't I and I hated it" Then, I threw that skeleton out, and decided to try something new and this came to be. I am recycling the old stuff and editing it without the damn skelton and random plot and background information, and it's looking a lot better. Now, I've combined what orignally was the first segment and second into one. The effect actually fits well with my plot, so here it is. Let's hope I don't get frustrated with this one now XD

Enjoy.

* * *

Walking towards school, I feel relief because I am yet another day free from the dreams. The classes are boring, too easy, and yet there are people who are failing this class. Not to mention there are girls who seem to care more about me than their grades. They're foolish. Why should they play a game they can't even win? However, today is _finally_ the test that I have to take to become a ninja. I am four years late – four years behind _him_ but I _will_ catch up. I cannot afford not to.

It does somewhat upset me as I walk out and watch all of my peers celebrate with their family. With the exception of one all of my relatives are dead, and well I don't even want to think about that subject. Happy auras, moments of celebrating, they all bother me, I don't cope well with them. My life in that past was all about _him_ and I guess it still is even now. I put my hands in my pockets along with my newly earned headband and walk away. Out of the corner of my eye I spot Naruto – he was always a sore spot in the class – and observing his lack of headband it seems he didn't make it. _Oh well, it isn't as if the ninja world is missing anything._

I don't want to head home right now, especially the way I am feeling. It won't bode well. Instead, I let my feet carry me. They take me to a place that I've been far too many times before: A small rock surrounded by a meadow in the forest with a steam running by. It triggers many memories – dreams – and I shake my head. I relive them too often at night, and I don't need anymore recollections. When I sit down, I can't face the river. Too many, far too many memories. I'm actually not supposed to know this place, but I do. It's one that the ANBU retreat to for meetings, but I'm certain that it has been abandoned seeing as somebody died here. I push back the painful memory and stand up before turning around. I glare at the area, damning a particular individual.

_Damn you. You changed everything. You deserved your punishment!_

_---  
_

On that day of death, my entire life shifted and clicked into place, it started to run a race that I didn't even know about. Many people don't know why I hate that day, and they shouldn't. They can guess, and I suppose that guess is particularly accurate, but they are missing that one small detail. I walk away, and head back home.

As I sit in class, for probably the last time, the people around me continued to laugh. It was annoying me. I want to finally separate from this academy, advance and grow my wings. However, when Naruto enters the room I cringe. How did he manage to pass? Wasn't he the only one without a headband? I glance over, noticing that the overzealous idiot sat next to me and let out a mental sigh.

Great now he's _glaring_ at me. "What?' I ask, but I don't let any emotions seep into the single word.

Regardless, the idiot still takes offence. "What do you mean by what!" He yells into my ear. Luckily, or unluckily, another annoying idiot (though this one a pink-haired fan of mine) pushes Naruto out of the way. She virtually demands to sit next to me, but somehow manages to form a question about it.

I know why they do it too – they want my attention. I won't give it to them, not because they annoy me, but because I am not interested in them. They all have told me they like me and that they want to go out with me, but I always refuse their requests. Remembering that triggers a pang in my chest but I ignore it and push it away. Not now, not now.

Again, Naruto distracts me and I don't outright ignore it. I need an interruption anyway. He is squatting in front of me, glaring this absurd scowl at me and it's almost scrutinizing. The way he leans even closer is grating on my nerves – far too close for comfort – so I return his glare, except with more malice than inquisition. I really would appreciate if it he moved the hell away.

However, he does just the opposite as he tumbles down. I open my eyes a bit in shock and it's too late to even move. When his lips touch mine though, my eyes widen drastically. I immediately push him away and furiously rub at my lips. Before I can censor my thoughts, my mind thinks _That fucking__** tainter**__!_ I cough and hack, to try and rid myself of his corruption. Inside, I'm fuming and desiring to strangle the blond idiot half to death, but I force myself to calm down. When I glance over again, I see that my little (well not so little in number…) fan club is beating him into a pulp. I smirk at that as it alleviates some of my anger, although it is still present. I hear people around me whispering (and yelling at Naruto) that he stole my first kiss, and that encourages a scoff. They know nothing. _Though I suppose that are right that he tainted me._

Finally Iruka arrived.

"Today we will create three-man teams… and each team will have a Jounin sensei."

I tense again, a slight glare escaping my eyes at the academy teacher. _That just means more people in my way._

_---  
_

Team numbers and names were called out, and the idiots next to me start cheering. That is, before I, too, realize that I'm on their team. _This __**really**__ is people in my way…_

Along with Naruto's outburst of how unfair it is I agree with him, though in the opposite context. "Dobe." I utter out after Iruka's explanation.

---

After getting out of the ropes, I wander by and see Sakura acting rather weird. I ignore her previous comments and ask her of Naruto's whereabouts.

"Who cares about Naruto? All he does is cause fights with you." I now know she doesn't care at all about my desires and just wants to spend time with me. She's just like any typical female. _Just like me._ I try to block out my reaction to my inner thought. _I don't care for her, it's different._ I don't know why I'm trying to defend myself, but she doesn't matter, the thought doesn't matter. I walk away.

"Well he doesn't have a normal childhood… So…"

Those words stop me and I look at her. I want to know how different Naruto's past was from mine, from my own _experiences_.

"He doesn't have any parents! He can do whatever he wants. If I acted like that, my parents would ground me for months."

_He doesn't have parents…?_

"He's so lucky, all alone, parents never say what to do and what not to do. That's why he's always a trouble-maker."

I feel a pang inside of me. How! How can that girl be so _ignorant_?! She was proving herself to be just another typical selfish love-sick female. I was never ignorant, I was never this inconsiderate. I need to calm myself, "The feeling of a parent yelling at you cannot compare to what he feels." She tries to butt in, but I glare at her icily, "You're annoying."

---

I can't believe these two as they set up such a ludicrous trap. Surely the jounin wouldn't be that stupid. I voice my opinions but they seem to go unheard. (Except from Sakura who is surely just agreeing for her benefit)

When a man steps through and falls for the stupid trick, my expectations fall even further. _Is this man really a jounin? He would never have fallen for this…_

The first words the man says is, "How can I say this? My first impression is: I don't like you guys."

He took us to a tower, instructing us to introduce ourselves. My heart takes a leap at the last prompt he gives us. _Dreams for the future._ I press my thumbs together, hoping that it isn't noticed.

_No. They don't need to know. Do I even know? I know I want knowledge… I know I want…No, I'll just lie. They won't understand, nobody will. I'll give them what is expected of me._

Sakura and Naruto prompt the man to give us information, however he dodges all of the questions and only gives us what he deems necessary, his name.

Kakashi Hatake.

Where have I heard that name before? Before I can even divulge into my memories, the orange-clad idiot beside me goes on about ramen this, ramen that, and then something utterly absurd. He wants to be Hokage. I try not to scoff at that. As the gazes switch to me, I change modes. I need to be who they expect me to be.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are a lot of things I dislike and I don't really like anything. And…" I need to tae a breath, rethink my word, "I can't really call it a dream, but I have an ambition: The resurrection of my clan and…" Ok, that wasn't so hard. Another breath. "To kill a certain man."

I see how they all react – especially Kakashi. He looks at me critically, almost _expecting_ that response from me. He knows, he knows about _that night_. Who wouldn't at his age? I need to close my eyes however, as my heart is racing. I completely ignore Sakura's response because I still need to recover. That lie was too big for me to say without repercussion.

What Kakashi leads up to next, just rebukes all my calming attempts.

"Of the twenty-seven graduates, only nine will be chosen to become genin. The rest will be sent back to the academy."

I quickly side glance to my partners. _They better not screw me up. I have been waiting for this day, and I will not allow them to ruin it!_

I quickly grab the paper, crumpling it in the process and head home. The contents are read over twice before I eat, train and head to bed. I had no dreams last night, and sure signs are coming up: I cannot push the memories back, there are new triggering events, and… what I told them. Pulling up the covers, I go to sleep worrying my already taxed brain out.

---

_The first thing I hear is porcelain clinking together, then voices in the distance. When I open my eyes, I know exactly where I am. My past has begun._

_However, that awareness quickly fades as I become the child I once was, observing the world through innocent and oblivious eyes._

_Itachi – my beloved Aniki – approaches me when we finish supper and I tilt my head, silently questioning him. His face is entirely stoic, or at least to our parents' knowledge. Secretly I know he smiles. It can be a small sparkle in his eyes or even a real, open-mouthed one. However, those are rare and I think I've only seen two of them. Sometimes I try to avoid looking at his eyes though. They seem to make me feel funny and Itachi-nii isn't even using the Sharingan. I get this churning sensation in the pit of my stomach and I don't know why, It happens even now as I look into those dark Uchiha eyes._

"_Sasuke would you like to train with me today?" The excitement bubbles in my. Why did he even ask? Of course I would!_

_I know he can't hear my excitement – even with the beaming smile on my face – so I speak the words aloud. I still can't believe he asked me! I always want to spend time with my aniki, but having him train me is even better, something I usually never experience._

_As he takes my hand in his I look at him with some shock on my face. Aren't Okaa-san and Otou-san around? I glance about and notice that they have indeed left the kitchen. I'm glad, seeing at Otou-san doesn't like any signs of affection, and I don't want Nii-san to be in trouble because of me. I cherish the emotions he shares with me, the hugs, the hand holding. When other people hold my hand, I never feel the warms that I do now. It's comforting, secretive. I see a glitter in his eyes and my heart swells._

_Itachi is smiling._

_---  
_

I bolt upright and my eyes pop open. Retracting my dreams, inspecting my body and finding a fluttering heart I mentally curse. The image of Itachi's smile won't leave my mind. I remember his smell, the warmth he gave me. No! I need to forget!

Oh yes, what was today again?

'Survival training day' so dubbed by my cryptic Jounin-sensei. Wonderful. I glance at the clock, noticing I have an hour before I need to leave. Now… what to do in the meanwhile…


End file.
